Closure for pneumatic concrete conveyers



Dec. 27, 1927.

H. B. KIRKLAND cwsuns ron Pmsmwrrc concurs convnsns 5 Sheet's-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 13 192 NN www Q M u H. B. KIRKLAND CLOSURE FOR PNBUHATICCONCRETE GOHVBYBRS Filed Jan. 15, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 27, 1927.

H. '3. KIRKLAND cLosuns ron rusuumc concRETs'convauns Filed Jams; 192e 5sheets-sheet 5 ml- A@ M VMM/Ail@ Dec. Z7, 1921 H. B. KIRKLAND cnosunsron Pusuumc coucam's couvmms Filed Janis, 192e s sheetmeet 5 PatentedDec. 27, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'OF-FICE.

HARRY BRISTOL KIRKLAN D, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CONCRETEMIXING AND CONVEYING\ COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION Ol'ILLINOIS.

CLOSURE FOR PNEUMATIC CONCRETE CONV'EYEB/S.

Application led 4:Flannery 13, .1926. Serial No. 80,870.

My invention relates generally to apparatus for pneumatically conveyingconcrete and in particular is concerned with the provision ofimprovements in apparatus embodying the broad principles ofconstruct-ion and operation shown and described in the patent toMcMichael No. 1,127,660, issued February 9, 1915.

An object is to provide an improved construction so as to simplify itsmethod of operation, prevent the apparatus from becoming clogged and ingeneral, increase the speed and elliciency of its operation.

A .further objectis to provide improved means to eject the concrete fromthe apparatus.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved dooroperating mechanism.

Other objects will appear from the following specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the apparatustaken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a front end elevation;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the charging doorand adjacent parts taken on the line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2,showing the means used to withdraw and .return the secondary pressurenozzle;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the charging door taken on the line5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the charging doorand associated parts taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a receptacle usingmodified forms of door operating and pressure pipe withdrawingmechanisms;

Figure 8 is a front end elevation of the i eceptacle shown 1n Figure lFigure 9 is a bottom plan view of the modilied construction of the dooroperating mechanism;

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the modified dooroperating mechanism taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a plan view of the multi-port door controlling valve;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional View thereof taken on the line 12--12of Figure 11;

Figures 13 and 14 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines13-13 and 14-14 respectively of Figure 12;

Figure 15 is a front end elevation of the lower part of the receptacleshowing a second modification of a pressure pipe withdrawing mechanism;and

Figure v 16 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 16-16of Figure 15.

In lining the walls of long tunnels and similar structures with concreteit has been found desirable to have the receptacle, from which theconcrete is pneumatically conveyed, movable into the tunnel. This isusually accomplished by providing an arched frame carriage the wheels ofwhich run on rails at the sides of the tunnel, bridging over the trackupon which the work cars are run. The receptacle is suspended from theframe of this carriage, at one side so as not to interfere with theoperation of the cars with which it is supplied with mixed concrete. Forthis reason the receptacle must have as small over-all dimensions as isconsistent with the capacity desired. Due to the necessity of having thereceptacle of limited vertical and'transverse dimensions, it is made inthe shape of an obovate cylindroid lying on its side, the concrete beingejected from one end of the receptacle at a constricted or funnelportion. Diiliculty has been experienced in advancing the concrete inthe receptacle to the funnel portion, where t-he booster nozzle can actupon it to eject it from the receptacle. My present invention overcomesthis diiiiculty by providing a secondary air pressure nozzle which ismovable along the bottom of the receptacle so as to successively forceportions of the concrete toward the booster nozzle. In this way, as theconcrete which has been dumped into the receptacle is pneumaticallyforced toward the booster nozzle and as the pile of concrete recedesfrom the booster nozzle, the secondary pressure nozzle is graduallywithdrawn so as to continually feed a supply of concrete to the boosternozzle.

In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown the receptacle 20 vas composed of anobovate cylindroid shaped sheet 21 to which the heads 22 and 23 aresecurely riveted. Supporting tion shown in Figures 1. 3, 5, and 6 therectangular shaped door 28, which is curved to conform to the shape ofthe top of the 1eceptacle,'has a pair of depending lugs 28a which form abearing for a pivot pin 3O A bifurcated toggle link 31 is pivoted to,

the door at pin 30 and its free end is resiliently held in an upwardposition by a spring 32 which is secured to the door. A similar link 33is pivoted to the door at pin 30 at one end, and to the piston rod 34 atthe other. The piston rod 34 ,carries a piston 35 which is operable in acylinder 36 which is suitably secured to the top and to the front headof the receptacle. A saddle 37 normally slides horizontally with thedoor 28 and forms a support for the end of the piston rod 34. Theupturned ends 37a of the saddle 37 are guided in suitable slots in theedges of the door 28. 4 Depending lugs 28b also serve as guides so as topermit relative vertical movement between tl 1e door 28 and saddle 37.

A valve 38 is connected by pipe 39 to the compressed air supply line 40.A valve 41 in the pipe 39 serves as a meansfor regulating the airpressure at the valve 38. The valve 38 is of the four-way type, whichwhen in one lposition will permit the air to flow from pipe 39 throughpipe 42 to the crank end of the cylinder 36, at the same time permittingthe air to escape from the head end of the cylinder 36 and pipe 43. Uponreversal of the valve 38 the air will be permitted to fiow from thesupply pipe 39 through the pipe 43 to the head end of the cylinder andat the same time permit the air to escape from the crank end of thecylinder 36 through the pipe 42. It will thus be seen that door 28 maybe opened by the air under pressure being admitted to the crank end ofthe cylinder 36 and similarly the door may be closed by admitting airunder pressure to the head end of the cylinder 36. Near the end of theclosingoperation of the door the free end of the toggle link 31 abutsagainst Athe fixed sto 44. Links 33 and 31 then act as a togg e and thecontinued rearward movement of the piston rod 34 causes the door 28 tobe raised into firm engagement with a'rubber packing ring 45 which issecured to the plate 27 and extends around the periphery of the opening21?. When the air' pressure in the receptacle 1s raised, aswillbe laterdescribed, the door is pressed against the packing still more firmly. Atthe beginning ofthe opening der pressure to the crank end of thecylinderA will cause the door to be withdrawn from its position beneaththe opening 21a.

A discharge funnel 46 is secured at an opening in the lower portion of'the rear head 22 an'dserves as a means 4to mass the concrete together sothat :it may be readily acted upon by the air stream from the boosternozzle 47, which is directed toward the discharge opening of, the funnelportion 46. The pipe 48, through which the concrete is ejected, isbolted or otherwise suitably sccured to the small end of the funnel 46.

'The concrete having been dumped into the receptacle, some means isnecessary to force the concrete toward the booster nozzle. For thispurpose I provide a long pipe 49 at the end of which there is a nozzle50. v I also provide means for moving this nozzle away from the boosternozzle as the concrete between it and the booster nozzle is dischargedfrom the receptacle. For this purpose theV pipe 49 passes through apacking box 51 secured in the head 23. A cross piece 52 is fixed nearthe end of the pipe and a flexible hose 53, coupled to the supply lineat the valve 54, supplies air to the pipe 49. The cross piece 52 is alsofixed over the square end of a screw 54 which is supported in a housingcasting 55 and extends' backwardly in a protecting pipe 54a which is Vsecured to the outside of the receptacle 20. Gear 56 has a threaded boreengaging the threads of the screw 54 and meshes with intermediate gear57 which in turn is driven by the pinion 58 of a reversible air motor59. Upon operation of the motor 59 the gear 56 will -be rotated andsince it is prevented from axial movement by housing casting 55, it willforce the screw 54 outwardly and hence retract the pipe 49 from thereceptacle. A three-Way valve 60 is arranged to connect the supply line60a with either of the pipes 62 or 61 which supply air for the operationof the motor to respectively withdraw1 return the pipe 59.

- It is usually desirable to have the pipe 49 returned to its normalposition (as in Figure l) as quickly as possible, while it mayfrequently be desirable to adjust the speed and at which it is withdrawndepending upon the amount of the charge in the receptacle and variousother conditions of operation. The pipe 62'has an adjusting valve`63 bywhich adjustment of the speed of the motor, while it is operating towithdraw the pipe 49 from the receptacle, may be made. This adjustmentdoes not affect the speed of operation of the motorupon the returning`of the pi e. Of course, I do not wish to limit mysel to the use of anair motor since any other suitable power means for withdrawing andreturning the pipe 49 may be used.

A valve 64 is used to regulate the amount of air discharged from thebooster nozzle 47 to which it is directly connected by the pipe line 65.A relief valve 66 is suitably positioned at the front head of thereceptacle so as to permit a quick release of the air pressure in thereceptacle after the concrete has been ejected.

In Figure 7 I have showna modified door operating mechanism and also a.modified construction of the secondary air pressure pipe. Forconvenience of reference I have numbered the parts which are common toboth constructions with the same reference characters. The door 28 inthis modifica.- tion is also slid on its channels by au air piston, thepistou rod 34 of which is slidably secured to a bifurcated lug 28,depending from the door 28. A suitable cushioning stop 44' limits therearward movement of the door. A saddle 67, the form ot which is bestshown in Figure 9,-has four arms 67a having upwardly turned ends 67which are suitably guided in notches in the side edges of the door 28.The saddle 67 supports a cylinder 68 having a piston 69 secured to thepiston rod 70 which is pivotally connected to the door 28. By admittingair under pressure to the lower end of the cylinder 68, the door will beraised to securely seal the opening 21a. Upon release of the pressure inthe lower part A0l" the cylinder 68 gravity will restore the door 28tothe position in which it rests upon the channel rails 29.

In order to prevent the operator of the apparatus from attempting tomove the door 28 by admitting air into the cylinder 36 before he hasreleased the pressure in the cylinder 68, I have provided asemi-automatic control valve consisting of a body and a rotatable valvemember 71, operatively secured therein. This valve has four operativepositions. In position I, it admits air'to the head end of cylinder 36vand permits the air from the crank end of cylinder 36 to escape. Inposition II, air is admitted under pressure to the lower end of cylinder68. .In position III, the air is permitted to escape from the lower endof the cylinder 68. In position IV, air under pressure is admitted tothe rear end of cylinder 36 and the air permitted to escape from thefront end of the cylinder. A ratchet wheel 72a integral with the handlewith cooperating spring vpressed pawl 7 3 prevents the valve from beingturned in the wrong direction. A release lever 74 is' pivotally securedto the handle 72 and spring pressed into engagement with the upperperipheral edge of the valve body 75 and adapted to normally abutagainst one of the four lugs 7 5. The lugs 7 5 thus define the fourpositions of the valve as previously enumerated.

Referring now to Figures 7 to'14 inclusive, the lower end of cylinder 68is connected through a flexible air hose 76 to a pipe line 77 which issuitablycounected to the valve body 75 at two ports as shown in Figures13 and 14. Theppipel line 78 connects the head end of the cylinder 36which asceond pair of ports of the Valve, while another pipe line 79suit ably connects the crank or rear end of the cylinder 36 with a thirdpair of ports in the valve body 75. A pipe 39', connected through theregulating valve 41 with the main air supply line 40, supplies the airto the control valve. In cach of the four positions of the valve 71, oneof the four centrally and downwardly (Figure 12) extending ducts 71aconnects the supply line 39 with the distributing duct 71". Thereceiving duct 71c is connected to the free air through exhaustpassageways 71d.

In the modiic-ation which is shown in Figure 7, the secondary airpressure pipe 49 has its nozzle 50 adjacent the bottom ofthe receptaclebut the pipe extends upwardly so that its major portion normally liesabove the concrete when the receptacle is charged and lies to the sideof the opening 21a so that in charging the receptacle the concrete doesnot fall upon the pipe. In this construction the pipe is not subjectedto the abrasive action of the concrete to such a great vextent as in thefirst described construction. In other respects the construction of themodification shown in Figures 7 and 8 -is similar to that shown inFigures 1 and 2 with the possible exception that the screw rotectingpipe 54a lies inside the receptac e.

In Figures 15 and 16 I have shown a modilied construction forwithdrawing the air pressure pipe 49. In `this construction a cross bar52 is secured to the end of the pipe 49 and to the ends of a pair ofpiston rods 80. The pistons 81 connected to these rods operate incylinders 82 which are rigidly secured to the receptacle.

A pipe line 83, connects the rear/ end (right hand end, Fig. 16) of thecylinders 82 with one port of a three-way valve 84 while a pipe line 85connects the front .end of the cylinders 82 with a second port of thethree-way valve 84, the third port of which is connected to the supplyline by means of pipe line 86. A regulating valve 87 in the -pipe line83 makes it possible to regulate the speed at which the secondary airpressure pipe 49 is withdrawn from the receptacle without affecting thespeed at which it is returned, while the valve 88 in pipe line 86 may beused to regulate both the speed I' from the pipe li'ne 86.

While I have shown my invention and described' it in detail, it will beapparent that other modifications may be employed .without departurefrom my invention and I do not wish to be limited to the particularconstruction disclosed, but what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. In a concrete conveying device, a receptacle having an openingtherein, a door slidable into position to close said opening, a pair oftoggle links each having one end pivoted to said door, and an actuatingrod pivotally connected to one of said links, said rod being adapted tomove said door in register with said o ening and subsequently throughthe togg e action of said toggle links force said door against saidreceptacle to seal said opening.

2. In a concrete conveying device, a receptaclehaving an openingtherein, a door'slidable into position to close said opening, and meansfor sliding said door over said opening and forcing said doorperpendicularly against said receptacle to seal said opening,

comprising a rod and a pair of toggle links.

3. In a concrete conveying device, a receptacle having an openingtherein, a door slidable into position to close said opening, a pair oflinks pivotally connected to the central portion of said door, a stop,resilient means holding one of said links in position to engage saidstop, an actuating rod pivotally connected to the other of said links,said rod being arranged to slide said door into position in registerwith said o ening and subsequently actuate said togg e. links to forcesaid door against said receptacle to seal said opening.

v4:. In an apparatus of the 'class described, a receiver provided withan opening for the introduction of concrete to be conveyed, a doorslidable upon a pair of rails beneath said opening, a pneumaticallyactuated rod, a saddle slidable with said door, .said saddle forming asupport for the end of said rod, and a toggle linkage operable by saidrod for raising said door relative to saidrails and saddle.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a receiver provided with anopening for the introduction of concrete to be conveyed, a door slidableupon a pair of rails beneath said opening, a rod movable with said doorfor sliding said door on said' rails, and a tog gle linkage operableupon movement of said rod relative to said door, for raising' said doorfrom said rails.

6. In an apparatus ofthe class described, a receptacle rovided with anopenin for the introductlon of concrete, a doorsli abl mounted beneathsaid opening, pneumatically operated means for sliding said doorrelative to said opening and for pressing said door. against saidreceptacle to seal said openlng. e

7 In an apparatus of the class described, a receiver provided with anopening for the introduction of concrete, and means to seal saidopening, comprising, a cylinder, a piston and rod operative therein, atoggle linkage, having one link pivotally connected to said piston rod,a door horizontally and vertically slidable and operatively secured tothe central pivot of said toggle linkage, means to admit a fluid underpressure to one end of said cylinder and simultaneously permit theescape of fluid from the other end of said cylinder so as to move saiddoor horizontally into register with said opening, and a {ixed stoparranged to engage the free end of said toggle linkage and therebyarrest the hori?4 zontal movement of said door and cause said togglelinks to force said door vertically.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a receiver provided with anopening for the introduction of concrete, and means to seal said openingcomprising, a door, a saddle slidable relative tosai'd door, means forslid ing said door and saddle in one direction as a unit, and means tomove said door relative to said saddle at right angles to the firstmentioned motion.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a receiver rovided with anopening for the introduction of concrete to be conveyed, a door slidableinto registry with said opening, means for applying power to slide thedoor into registry with the openin and means for utilizing power thusapplie to force said door'into tight engagement with the margins of thedoor vopening when the registry of door and opening has been effected.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a receiver provided with anopening for the introduction of concrete to be conveyed, a door slidableinto registry with said opening, and means for sliding the door intoregistry with the opening comprising means for moving the door intoengagement with the margins of the door opening when such registry hasbeen effected.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day ofJanuary, 1926.

HARRY BRISTOL KIRKLAND

